Page 33 of Culmination
I laugh and scoop her up, setting her on the counter. Then I offer her a glass of water, which she takes and rinses her mouth out.
“In six months, you’ll remember why you love me,” I tell her. “Or, well, you may really hate me for a few hours, but then, when you’re holding our little one in your arms, you’ll remember.”
“I just hope all this is behind us by then.”
Though I couldn’t agree more, it’s the last thing I want her thinking about right now, especially after having just gotten sick. I lean in and press a quick kiss to her forehead. “By then, this will all be a distant memory.”
“Promise?” she asks, her soft eyes gazing up at me.
I press my forehead to hers. “I promise, Brie. We’re going to end this. Once and for all.”
God, I wish we could stay in this moment forever.
She smiles up at me, her eyes alight for the first time in far too long. “I believe you,” she whispers. “And when this is over, I can’t wait to be our little family of three. Heck, I still need to meet your parents!” Her eyes widen at the thought.
I chuckle, even though the idea has my stomach in knots. “Babe, you’ll meet them soon enough. And they’ll love you, I promise.”
Before she can continue this line of conversation, I grab her toothbrush and hold it out to her.
“I love you, baby, and even when you’re puking, you’re sexy as hell. But I want to kiss you right now, and well, you know…”
She laughs, hopping down from the counter. “What, Matthews? A little morning sickness and you can’t kiss me?”
I know I’m supposed to say something romantic here about how a little bad breath is worth it if it means my lips are on hers. But I don’t. Because while I’m all about swapping bodily fluids with Brie, I draw the line at that. So, instead, I bring my lips to her temple, trailing kisses down her jawbone until I’m nibbling on the lobe of her ear.
“Would you kiss me after I puked?”
Her shoulders shake with laughter, and when she pushes me away to put toothpaste on her brush, I have my answer.
Moments later, Brie’s arms wrap around my waist and she rises onto tiptoes, her lips capturing mine in a long, intoxicating kiss. When I pull away, I grin down at her.
“See, minty fresh. So much better.”
She playfully frowns and it’s moments like these I want to capture forever. Right now, we’re just two people in love, sharing our morning, sharing our life. I never thought domesticity would be the thing for me, yet here I am. And in less than a year, not only will we be sharing our lives together, but we’ll be raising a baby.
I never thought much about kids. Not until the doctor told us Brie was pregnant and we weren’t sure the baby was okay. In a split second, I went from never considering them to knowing my heart would break if the child we’d made together didn’t survive the car crash.
Now? It’s all I can think about, nearly every waking moment. I’d lock Brie away in some faraway place if I could. Just until this mess with Theo is sorted out. At the same time, I don’t think I can handle life without her by my side for a single second. Yesterday, our time apart when she was with Adrian was nearly my undoing, and I’m not putting myself through that again.
That’s why, against my better judgment, I make a decision I hope I won’t come to regret.
When I walk into the room, Brie is laying clothes out on the bed: gray leggings and a long, hunter-green tank top layered under a thin, brown cardigan. She’s clad only in the lacy bra and the panties she wore to bed. Her hair’s still mussed from sleep, and while she’s always beautiful to me, I frown at the dark circles under her eyes. She tries, but she can’t hide the stress from her expression. I hate this for her. I hate this for us, and the thought of this continuing any longer than necessary is unacceptable to me.
Leaning against the doorframe of the bathroom, I fold my arms and say her name. She glances away from the television, her eyes meeting mine.
“Do you think you’re up for investigating today? I’d be more than happy to leave you here if you’re still not feeling well, but I’d feel better with you by my side.”
She rubs circles on her belly and smiles at me. “I think I’ll be okay. And since Dr. Sheridan showed up, I’d also rather be with you.” She winces. “It’s not that I’m scared of her. She was always a great doctor, but it’s just creepy, him sending her here. He really does know everything, doesn’t he?”
Her shoulders shudder as if the thought sends chills down her spine. Before I can reassure her, her eyes go wide with alarm and she rushes to me, her hands gripping my biceps with a firm force I wouldn’t have expected from her tiny hands.
“Rafe, oh my God. I can’t believe this didn’t cross my mind yesterday, but he sent herhere. Not only does he know we’re in Chicago, he knows exactly where we’re staying. We have to go to another hotel immediately!”
The words rush out and I hear the panic in her voice. My hands come up to rest on her shoulders, and I catch her eyes, hoping she sees the calm in them. “I thought of that last night, and if he could find us here, he’ll find us anywhere. Plus, he’ll just have more questions for me if we move suddenly after he sent someone here. The best we can do is continue searching for your father’s clues while also trying to lie as low as possible.”
Brie pulls her lower lip between her teeth and nibbles on it, her nerves getting the best of her. “If you’re sure,” she finally says.
I squeeze her shoulders. “I’m sure, Brie. And I promise you you’re safe with me. I will always protect you.”
